Pottery Barn Giveaway via Made By Girl

Let's Get Organized!

Be sure to enter the Pottery Barn Giveaway on Jen's blog Made By Girl.

The winner will receive a white Modular Daily System by Pottery Barn for their office or craft room. You can use it to sort mail, plan your days, keep track of important dates and more!

I would love to have the Pottery Barn Modular Daily System.
It would help keep me organized and inspired in 2011 and beyond.

I would put it either above my old antique desk

in the den where I have my business and office kind of work,

or in my art studio above my drafting table.

To Enter (on Made By Girl's Blog):

1. Tweet about the giveaway and let Jen Know you did

(if you have Twitter).

2. Tell Jen at Made By Girl (in her comments)

how you would use the Daily System.

You can enter up to two times.

3. Leave your email with Jen too.

That Includes:

Top Display Rod, 12" long (3)

Top Display Rod, 24" long (2)

Magnetic Whiteboard Calendar, White (1)

Linen Pinboard, White (1)

Letter Bin, White (1)

Daily System Office Organizer, White (1)

Corkboard, White (1)

INFO ABOUT THE DAILY SYSTEM:

The Modular Daily System allows you to create a customized system for supreme organization in any room. Each Daily System modular component slides onto a wall-mounted stainless-steel rod so you can easily move or add each piece. Cork board, letter bin and office organizer take the 12-inch rod; all other pieces take the 24-inch rod. To create a system that's ideal for your space, view the Daily System Tool here.

ENTER THE POTTER BARN GIVEAWAY HERE AT MADE BY GIRL

Jen at Made By Girl will randomly select and post the WINNER on Wednesday, January 12th.

Good Luck Everyone!!

Rainy Days

It's a rainy cold Sunday and a good day for blogging.

I discovered some new blogs,

especially those of my new followers

and want to add them to my reader list;

however, I have been stopped by the

"blogging police" and issued a warning:

"You are already following the maximum number of Blogs (300).

Unfollow some other blogs first."

I don't want to delete my fellow bloggers who's

interior design, fashion and creativity I so admire!

Does everybody else have this restriction?

Is there a way to add more without deleting some?

I hope you're warm and cozy and having a good day.

Photo credits:

"Spring Rain" by Erte via Desert Glitter on Flickr

Gazette du Bon Ton Fashion Plate 1915

"The French Inspired Home" by Carolyn Westbrook Giveaway Contest

Judy at the "French Laundry" blog is having a contest to win "The French Inspired Home" book by Carolyn Westbrook. This is a beautiful book that is sure to delight you for hours. I just entered and you can too. Please check out the contest, open thru November 17th, on the lovely "French Laundry" blog for more info here.

Judy is going to include some French inspired goodies along with the book. This is sure to be quite a treat after seeing her French Laundry blog.

Judy has another wonderful post about "The French Inspired Home" book including some dreamy photos on her blog here. What a wonderful way to start November! Thank you Judy!

A Blog Award for Me and You!

Ooh la la! Merci Beaucoup!

At the end of November, I received a wonderful blog award from Mimi Bleu at Bonjour Romance! I am so honored and delighted as she is one of my favorite fellow blogging friends! She always writes the most thoughtful comments on my blog and encourages me to continue onward!

Bonjour Romance

Mimi's blog, Bonjour Romance is beaming with beautiful photos and stories about her fairy tale life come true! She actually met Prince Charming in Paris, fell in love and moved there! See... I told you fairy tales and dreams really do come true! She just started her blog in August this year and already has quite a following. I hope you get a chance to check out her pretty blog and follow her incredible journey! She really said it best...

"To me the art of romance is simply living as beautifully as possible. To allow everyday people, places and things to be the inspiration for romance. Please indulge me as I write under my nom de plume and offer up a light-hearted look at all things romantical yet trés practique." ~ Mimi Bleu

The rules of acceptance are as follows:

1. Copy and paste the award and

add a link to the blog that nominated me.

2. Tell seven things about myself.

3. Nominate seven other bloggers and pass the award along.

Here are seven things about me with some inspiring photos too!

1. My favorite color is blue.

2. I am a Mayflower descendant.

3. I like old children's illustrations.

4. Some might say I go "overboard" with decorating

for Christmas, but think I should do more!

Stats & Fishbecks in Pasadena, CA is a great store

to visit for Christmas decorating ideas.

5. I like to organize just about everything,

but have a lot of things that are not organized

as well as I would like them to be... yet.

Martha Stewart has some great ideas for

organizing everything on her website like

this beautiful armoire with pretty linens!

6. My latest organization project is my laundry room.

The room needs a lot of work, and I don't know

if I should try to tackle it all on my own.

Wouldn't this be a nice laundry room!

7. I really enjoy Interior Design

and would love to work in this field!

Pass the award on to 7 other wonderful bloggers.

Here are some of my favorite blogs from around the world!

1. Green and Stylish by Borjana Eghbalian in Germany

2. A La Parisienne by Mandy in Quebec

3. Rose Tea Cottage by the Duchess in A Cottage in England

4. Un Peu Plus Jolie by Rosa Maria in Portugal

5. Stipje by Margarita in the Netherlands

6. Bleudelavende in Italy

7. Dustjacket Attic in Australia

Thank you again Mimi Bleu at Bonjour Romance

for the wonderful blog award!

Enter Privilege's Great Giveaway Contest!

PRIVILEGE is having a give away contest on her blog for a Rowallan Jewelry Keep!

The drawing is tomorrow, Sunday, Nov. 22

so there is still time to enter!

Here's the link to the post about the contest and cases

A Rowallan Jewelry "Keep"

as well as how to enter the contest on her blog!

First, don't enter here on my blog.

Go to her page by clicking the link above.

Let her know about your favorite travel destination.

Add her to your list of blogs to follow.

Post the contest on your blog or site if you can.

It's easy and fun!

This is her post with a picture of the ultra chic pink case!

And It Comes In Pink, Too

Oh la la!

Hurry and enter!

She is drawing the winner tomorrow, November 22!

Check out the rest of her fabulous blog too.

She has some great photos and stories!

Some Things About Me, Myself and I

I am so honored to receive my first blogging award from Stephanie at Bonjour Madame! Thank you again Stephanie!

Be sure to check out her fabulous blog! With this particular award, it is customary to share a few things about yourself that you haven't mentioned in your blog before so that your fellow bloggers can get to know you a bit better.

I have really enjoyed reading about other bloggers and their lives, especially those of you who follow my blog. You have such beautiful homes and lives and it's a pleasure to know you. Everyone's comments and encouragement mean more to me than you can imagine.

So far, I haven't mentioned much about myself on my blog. I put Stephanie's blog up in the background as I was writing this. Her music came on and the first song is "Me Myself and I" by Billie Holiday. What a coincidence and great motivation! I'm not so accustomed to starting my sentences with me, myself and I but I guess it's time to let you know a little more about me.

Me, Myself and I

I have naturally curly long red hair but no freckles... ok very, very few freckles.

My Blog... Antique Vintage Modern

So far, I have posted a lot about modern architecture and interior design, haute couture, and slick chic luxuries on my blog. However, most of the blogs I follow are saturated in the past with castles and cottages, lush gardens, art, old illustrations, antiques, vintage things, and dreamy fairy tales. I really like both although tend to gravitate towards the past. However, my next post will probably be about something ultra modern. The thought of spotless modern design is very intriquing. Did I mention I am a Gemini? I drive myself crazy sometimes... lol ok, most of the time. I hope you don't mind if I post about it all.

My Home

My home is full of antiques and vintage treasures from long ago. Many have been passed down to me but I have purchased some too. Perhaps I can find a few things to share.

My Antique Venetian Bed - Image is of Cupid Disarmed

My home has some areas that are in need of repair and it is my hope and dream that I can afford to fix it up someday. In the meantime, I like things to be neat, tidy and clean. Not hospital bare walls, sterile and bland but you know, nice and cozy.

My home is really old and it's not always so easy to maintain. Speaking of which, I need to do some laundry and clean the house. I really like to organize things... anything and everything! However, I have a few areas that are not quite up to par and kind of messy, like the laundry room and storage room. I'm working on it... Just don't go in there.

My Bedroom Closet

I figured out a way to add a great deal more space for my clothes in my little old closet. It's easy and inexpensive too. Wanna see?

Sneak Peak of the Closet

My Art

I really like art and can draw fairly well... actually, very well, I am told. I can even paint. I don't do either very much but would like to do more. Can I put my artwork up here without the risk of someone using it elsewhere? Here are two paintings I attempted to copy from the great originals done by Vincent Van Gogh and Andre Derain. Both were for an art class and had to be done in rather short time. My scan's are not showing up as well as I hoped but you can click on the pics to make them larger.

Vincent Van Gogh's "Irises" by Bonnie

Andre Derain's "London Bridge" by Bonnie

(The glare in lower left corner is from the camera.)

My Sewing

I can sew a bit and enjoy hand sewing things. I have a collection of antique and vintage hand sewn items and sewing things that were passed down to me too. I would also like to do more sewing. Is that corny?

Vintage Pink Sewing Basket

Handmade Felt Sewing Needle and Pin Holders by Bonnie

Antique Silk Sewing Bag

Antique Pink Measuring Tape and Pink Silk Pin Wheel

Antique Colorful Box of Thread

A Hand Embroidery Pillow by Bonnie

My Travels

I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to Europe a few times. After college, I worked hard and saved my money so I could visit the beautiful places I dreamed of seeing. I even studied Italian for a while so I could understand the culture and people better. I have some wonderful stories and memories.

I received a big surprise upon visiting Capri, Italy years ago. Italy is definitely my favorite country. I just love everything Italian!

Through the Looking Glass - Photo by Annie Leibovitz

I got a magical private tour of Christ Church at Oxford College in England where Lewis Carroll wrote "Alice and Wonderland."

And I have a funny story about wandering into a private chateau in France that supposedly belonged to a diamond merchant. Oops!

My Food and Sweet Treats

Giada De Laurentiis is my favorite celebrity chef. Her weekly cooking shows can be seen on The Food Network. Her cooking videos are excellent! She also has a blog and four fabulous cook books, which I don't have... yet. :) I wish I could cook like her!

I'm fairly easy to please when it comes to food but I wish I was a better cook. I enjoy healthy food, italian food, and home made fried chicken and a good pizza on occasion although haven't had any in a while. I really like coffee, and hot chocolate and tea too. Of course, I love chocolate, ok and ice cream!

Although, I have never had these beautiful French Macroons that I see on everyone's blogs. They look so good! These look like the best and are from Laduree in Paris, France. I have looked for them here in LA but still can't find any. Grrr...

Laduree Macaroons - Photos via The Paris Apartment

Writing this wasn't so hard after all. Thank you for letting me share a bit about myself with you! And thank you again Stephanie for my award! I'll be sure to think of some of my favorite blogs to pass an award along to next!

Photo Info:

Through the Looking Glass - Photo by Annie Leibovitz

Wrapped in ocean-blue Balenciaga couture, Alice perched on the mantel, longing to escape into the shadow world, as her black kitty purred nearby. Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière crystal pleated chiffon dress and grey ankle boots. Shot on location at the Château de Corbeil-Cerf. In this story: Fashion Editor, Grace Coddington, Hair by Julien d'Ys/Island d'Ys, Makeup by Gucci Westman, Set design by Mary Howard, Prop Fabrication by Jean Hugues de Chatillon.